1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the process of measuring the performance of a server on a network. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring the performance of a network interface card (NIC) within the server by transmitting data to and from the server through multiple client connections.
2. Related Art
Modern network interface cards (NICs) can provide gigabit-per-second throughput. Unfortunately, measuring the actual throughput of these high-speed NICs to produce proof-of-performance data can be difficult, particularly when the NIC is coupled to a high-speed server. Existing techniques for measuring this throughput, which were developed for much slower devices, are inadequate.
In order to provide sufficient throughput to adequately measure the performance of a high-speed NIC, data must be sent and received to and from multiple clients through multiple network connections to provide sufficient bandwidth to saturate the NIC. This enables the system to measure the maximum throughput of the NIC.
One problem with existing performance measurement techniques is that the clients and the server do not start and stop transmitting data simultaneously, which can significantly skew the measured results.
Another problem with existing performance measurement techniques is that after establishing a first connection, subsequent data traffic through the first connection can interfere with the process of establishing other connections, which may result in some connections never being established. Moreover, each additional connection creates even more data traffic, which further limits the establishment of other connections. Additionally, connections may be completed at a later time causing serialization of the connections.
Serialization of these connections can lead to inaccurate performance measurements. Because of these performance measurement problems, some performance measurements gathered through existing techniques show better throughput when a given NIC is used with a lower performance server than when the same NIC is used with a higher performance server.
What is needed is a method and an apparatus for measuring multi-connection performance of a server without the problems described above.